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As the sun sets over the Celebes Sea and its orange glow turns the horizon golden, dozens of tourists line up on the pier of Bud, a floating village of 2,400 people 25 kilometers northeast of the state capital, Manado. are gathering.
They take pictures and marvel at the scenery. A woman visiting from a nearby town exclaims that the sunset over the volcano is a special sight, even for locals.
However, until a few years ago, the 300-meter jetty that connects the village to the open sea across the mangrove forest was dilapidated and used only by fishermen out to sea.
But those were different times, explains Hani Lorens Singa, president of the Village Enterprise Association (BUMDES). There were far more fish back then and no tourists.
The martial arts, like many coastal villages in North Sulawesi in northeastern Indonesia, have traditionally relied on small-scale fishing, but as fish stocks dwindle, tourism is seeing renewed attention as a way to make a living. are gathering.
A program set up by the International Labor Organization (ILO, a United Nations agency) will help martial arts rural communities and four other villages diversify into sustainable tourism and encourage local entrepreneurs (mainly women) to Offers skills.
The pier was refurbished and painted with government support, and benches and wooden sheds were added. Tourists can pay his 10,000 rupiah ($0.65) entrance fee to walk along the pier and enjoy the scenery.
Visitors can buy local delicacies and drinks at the ticket counter, and orders are prepared by available members of the village union and delivered to the pier. “We share the work, we share the income. This is tourism on a human scale.”says Lawrence Singa.
Since the renovation, one-fifth of visitors have spent more, ordering local delicacies and drinks at the ticket counter, and some even staying overnight.
Thanks to support from the ILO and its partners, martial arts has increased tourism income fivefold and is now appearing on tourism routes. This year, the village won the Digital Marketing category of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy’s Top 50 Village Tourism Awards. .
Even with the improvements, Lorens Singa is not satisfied with the status quo, as there is still much to be done. “We need to give people more reasons to stay for food and lodging,” he argues.
The Indonesian government supplied wooden structures above or next to the villagers’ houses in Malinsou
homestay, hashtag, home cooking
Residents of Marinsow, about an hour’s drive east of Budo, took a crash course in the bed and breakfast business.
“Many of the entrepreneurs we work with have never been tourists themselves, so without training they don’t understand what tourists expect. It is not clear what to do,” says Mary Kent, the ILO Chief Technical Advisor on the project.
Malinso has previously seen no reason for tourists to stop by, as it is located in a mining area a few kilometers from Indonesia’s pristine beaches. However, since Marinsou was designated as a “preferred tour destination” by the government, the village has received a major financial boost aimed at diversifying its economy.
Over 50 villagers received small wooden bungalows on site to start a B&B business (homestay) as it is known in Indonesia. Together with local partners Cravat University and Manado State University of Technology, the ILO is helping to teach locals the skills they need to be successful entrepreneurs, including bookkeeping, cost accounting and marketing, hospitality and tourism. I’m here.
“I was very surprised to learn that tourists love white sheets and a diverse diet,” says Yeni Allero. Allero and other participants also learned the importance of using hashtags in social media marketing posts. That way, tourists looking for a place to stay in the area can find it easily.
“Women’s small businesses are funded through microfinance credits and have been able to make all payments on time,” said Gabriel Tamasenge, the village chief. “We are very proud of our women and a business sense that we didn’t know.”
Investments in marketing and quality control skills in these communities are paying off, with about half of the hundreds of visitors who spent a night at Marinesaw last year coming from out of state, and more from abroad. The number is also increasing.
Returning to martial arts, perhaps more homestays, by creating marketing campaigns to persuade foreign tourists from nearby world-class diving destinations within Bunaken Marine Park to hop on and visit for dinner. are interested in building and increasing lodging. To a typical village rather than sticking to the usual mass tourism destinations. The village business association also plans cooking classes, handicraft classes and fishing trips.
“Our job now is to ensure that when ILO and government funding stops, we can fully form a fully self-sustaining business,” says Lawrence Singha. “We have a vision, we have a commitment. I’m sure you will succeed.”
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